What is an Otoplasty procedure?

Otoplasty is a procedure to correct ear deformity, in particular, for protruding ears. Previously the correction was made surgically by cutting and removing skin and cartilage under general anaesthetic in a hospital. However, with this new procedure, the correction can be carried out much more simply and safely under local anaesthetic by inserting invisible sutures under the skin without any incisions. This can be carried out within the clinic procedures room.

Here are some before and afters of some clients

You will see your results immediately (the above male does NOT have bruising on his ear, the photo was taken immediately after the procedure and has some pen markings.

What are the benefits of this technique?

There are many benefits, including:

the absence of skin incisions and scarring

the avoidance of hospitalisation and general anaesthetic

the simplicity of a walk-in walk-out procedure requiring only some local anaesthetic

minimal risk of infection and other complications

quick recovery, minimal discomfort

return to work or school the next day

When will I see results?

You will see your results immediately as there is no need for heavy bandaging as would be the case with the traditional surgical procedure.

Who is a good candidate?

Any adult or child, who has protruding ears that they wish to correct can have this simple correction. Children as young as 5 or 6 years of age can be treated as they are often subjected to cruel taunting at school and can become quite withdrawn. In such cases, early treatment is highly recommended. For ease and comfort, very young patients may require a general anaesthetic.

What does the procedure entail?

The problem is almost always caused by the absence of a particular fold in the upper part of the ear called the anti-helix, when this is absent it allows the upper part of the ear to curve forward instead of slightly backwards making the ear protrude more than it should. The creation of this fold will automatically “pin” the ears back to their normal shape and position. In the traditional method, this was done surgically by cutting and removing both skin and cartilage to reshape the ears. However, with the stitch method, this fold can be created using concealed permanent sutures placed under the skin without any cutting at all. These sutures will hold the ears in their correct position indefinitely. You can walk out with your new ears in a little over an hour.

Does the procedure hurt?

An anaesthetic cream is applied to your ears to numb them before local anaesthetic injections are used to the front and back of the ears. These will completely anaesthetise the ears and there will be no discomfort during the procedure itself.

How long will the result last?

Generally, the results last indefinitely. In a small percentage of cases, one of the stitches may fail but it is then just as simple to put another stitch in its place. The vast majority report a very high satisfaction with this procedure.